Annual General Meeting
In attendance: 21 people
Apologies: 1 person
Chair: Pat
Chair’s opening
- Pat welcomed everyone and noted the meeting was
quorate.
- Highlights of the year were noted.
- Daniel was awarded the Barry Maisey award for
his hard work before he joined the committee last year.
Minutes of the last AGM were approved. No
matters arising.
Diving Officers’ report
- Clive noted club members had done approximately
655 dives on club trips in 2016 (not including dives done by non-members on
those trips, and dives done by members on non-club trips), which added up to
approximately 2.5 weeks underwater. 63 dive sites were visited on club dives.
- Clive noted that the 2016 dive list included
more dives than 2015, and the 2017 dive list will further increase the number
of dives planned, in response to members’ feedback.
- Lee noted 2016 was a good year in terms of
safety. No decompression sickness incidents, and no significant incidents
needed reporting to BSAC. A few minor incidents occurred, however these were
all resolved safely.
- Lee referred to the National Diving Officer’s
Incident Report. 10 deaths involving older divers were reported, medical
factors were implicated as the cause of 8 of the deaths. Immersion Pulmonary
Oedema (fluid in the lungs) was highlighted as a significant contributory factor
in the incidents – Lee outlined what makes people susceptible to IPO.
- In response to questions from members, Lee and
Ken reported that the BSAC Incident Report made no mention of physical fitness
or using rebreathers as contributory factors in the deaths. Lee noted, however,
that there is a correlation between poor fitness and high blood pressure, which
is a known causal factor in incidents.
- The 2015 Dulwich incident was discussed. Lee
noted that the coroner’s report found that the death was preventable.
- Clive noted that members, when abroad on
non-club trips, often found they were the only divers carrying out buddy checks
– it remains necessary to do these checks, even when others around you are not.
- The 2017 dive list is online, and members are
encouraged to sign up for dives.
Treasurer’s report
- Ken noted that there was more income than
expenditure in 2016, even when not taking into account the Sport England grant.
- There has been a net increase in membership – 11
members left the club, and 17 joined.
- Ken to ask Ed to audit the accounts.
Training Officer’s report
- Sally noted this has been a good year for
training, with 10 Ocean Divers qualified, and 6 currently being trained. There
are currently 10 Sports Diver students. 3 members gained their Dive Leader
qualifications (1 more is close to qualifying), and 3 are undertaking Advanced
Diver training. 1 member became an Assistant Diving Instructor (another is
about to do the Instructor Foundation Course), 1 became an Assistant Open Water
Instructor, and 1 became an Open Water Instructor. 1 member became an
Accelerated Decompression Procedures instructor. 3 members did the ADP and
Buoyancy and Trim courses.
- In recent months there has been slowdown in
training and try-dives (since we moved to St George’s Leisure Centre, and due
to some members completing their OD courses), but training has still happened
every week. Extra pool sessions for SD students have been organised (e.g., DSMB
practice).
- We had aimed to run 60 try-dives in our 60th
year, in connection with the Sport England grant. Just under 40 were done, an
increase on the 22 done in 2015. Sport England have not raised concerns about
this number.
- Sally was of the view that free try-dives should
continue in 2017.
Equipment Officer’s report
- Ross noted that the final items to complete the
10 new sets of kit (funded by Sport England) have now been received.
- Purge button covers on the new regulators are
being replaced.
- The ongoing servicing costs of the new kit were
noted.
- Some old club kit items will be disposed of.
- Maggie C has some tall 12-litre cylinders to
dispose of. Dave still has lead weight for which he would like donations.
- New members are still encouraged to invest in
their own kit.
Secretary’s report
- Victor reported that his workload had been
reduced by Sally taking responsibility for answering emails re: joining,
training and try-dives, and by Lee monitoring the club ‘phone.
- Weekly emails have been sent to members. It will
be up to the new Secretary and committee as to whether weekly emails will
remain the main means to disseminate information to members.
- In terms of promoting the club, its activities
and interests, the club set up a new website, wrote to the council regarding
the Canada Water Leisure Centre redevelopment, ran a stall at the Dulwich
Festival Fair, invited the Mayor of Southwark for a try-dive, and featured in a
full-page article in Southwark News and a small feature in Scuba magazine.
Motions
- None proposed.
Election
- A secret ballot was held.
- Frank was elected Chair. Clive and Lee
(jobshare) were elected Diving Officer. Ken was elected Treasurer. Jonathan was
elected Secretary.
Any other business
- The committee has been looking into insurance of
the club’s new kit.
- Seven Islands Leisure Centre is due to reopen in
April. Docklands Dive School have a contract with St George’s Leisure Centre up
to the end of March.
- The role of the proposed co-opted Ocean Diver /
Sports Diver representative on committee was discussed.
- The risk of melanoma to divers (who spend a lot
of time on boats) was discussed. This risk should be highlighted to members.
The risk of cataracts was also mentioned.
- Pat and Victor are standing down from the
committee, and were thanked for their work.
- Sally was thanked for her work on securing Sport
England funding, and the huge benefits of this project to the club were noted.
- Pat thanked the St Peter and the Guardian Angels
Social Club for hosting the AGM at short notice.
